Improvement in baskets



D. BALLOU.

Basket.

No. 217,572. PatentedJulyIS, 1879.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFIcE.

ELMER D. BALLOU, OF BECKET, MASSACHUSETTS.

IMPROVEMENT IN BASKETS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 217,572, dated July 15,1879; application filed April 30, 1879.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, 'ELMER D. BALLOU, of Becket, in-the county ofBerkshire and State of Massachusetts, have invented a new and usefulImprovement in Baskets, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to woven baskets of willow or other wood, and hasfor its object to strengthen and protect the lower portions of thebasket.

Figure 1 is a bottom view of a factory-basket constructed in accordancewith my invention. Fig. 2 is aside elevation of the same. Fig. 3 is asection at the line a: w of Fig. 2.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts.

The basket A basket.

In the manufacture of the basket the strands of willow, ash, or otherwood forming the b0ttom and lengthwise strips are laid together in theusual manner. The strips on the edge of bottom on which the weight restsare overlaid with strips (6 of metal, which extend across the bottom andup at the sides to the rim b.

The horizontal strips 0, forming the sides is a square-bottomfactorynext to the bottom, are of metal, interlaced.

with the lengthwise strips in the usual manner, and are continued as farup as desired, but need only to extend a short distance to give therequired strength and durability to the basket.

The strips a and filling 0 are preferably galvanized iron, so as not torust, but may be of other metalsueh, forinstance, as tin or tinned iron,if desired.

The basket is finished from the termination of the filling c to the topwith wooden filling, as usual.

This construction gives stiffness and strength to the basket whereit ismost required, and renders the basket very durable. The strips tostiffen the sides and take the wear caused by drawing the basket overafloor but they will not alone prevent the basket from breaking down.

The metal strips 0 render the sides next the bottom fully as durable asthe other parts, and without adding materially to the weight.

I am aware that it is not new in baskets to make the bottom and sides ofmetallic strips laced or woven together, or to use metallic strips thatpass under the bottom and up the sides, in connection with horizontalstrips or hoops; but

What I claim as new and of my invention 1s The combination, with woodenstrips on bottom and sides of basket A, of the metallic strips a,running under the bottom, up the sides of basket to rim I), and overlaid.upon the wooden strips, and the horizontal strips 0, running around thebody of basket next to the bottom, as shown and described.

ELMER D. BALLOU.

Witnesses:

J ULIUs E. MnoUM, MONROE E. BALLOU.

